Method of and apparatus for making cotter pins



May 5, 1925. A

.W. M. BRITTON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COTTER PINS Filed Dec. 10, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fir omvcvs.

May 5, 1925. 1,53 6,284

W. M. BRITTON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING 'COTTER PINS Filed D 10. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r '14 c B Patented May 5, 1925.

I {UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. BRITTON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR- MAKING COTTER PINS;

Application filed December 10,1923, Serial No. 679,602.

To all 'Hl/LOTIZ may concern:

Be it known that I, TILLIAM M. BnrrroN, a citizen of the United States of America, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in lvlethods of and Apparatus for Making Cotter Pins, oi which the following, taken in connection with the accon'ipanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a methodot and apparatus for making cotter pins of the split type having a head at one end as set forth in my pending application Serial Number (379,601, tiled December 10, 17923, and refers more pzu ticularly to the method of establishing a twisted and offset relation between the head and shank so that the head i v is elongated in the plane of the split. 20

, in a simple, economical and efficient manner The main obiect is to eifect these relations in practically one operation.

lllliese pins are usually made of strips of halta'ound wire bent or folded substantially midway between their ends around a suit: able supporting form with their flat faces .in juxtaposed relation, and one of the specific objects of my present inventionis to turn the head a quarter turn, relatively to the shank immediately following the tlolding operation, and while the pin is still sup ported upon the form and held between the pinching dies. i

Another object is to withdraw the supporting form immediately following the turning or, twisting operation, and withdrawal of the pinching dies for releasing the finished cotter pin and allowing it to drop into a suitable receptacle thus leaving the machine ready for a repetition of the folding and twisting operations upon succeeding strips.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a portion of a machine for carrying out the process in which the dies are shown in their normal open or starting positions.

Figure 2 is detail vertical sectional View taken in the plane of line 2 2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailsectional view similar to Figure 1, except that the dies are in their closed positions for the initial forr -ing of the pin ready for twisting the head Figures 4t and 5 are enlarged horizontal sectional views otportions of the machine taken. respectively in the planes of lines 44, Figure 1, and 5-5, Figure 3. a

Figures 6 and 7 are opposite side elevations of the completed cotter pin.

These cotter pinsflare usually madeof halt-round Wire, and the process or making them consists in cutting the wire into suitable strip lengths, then bending or fold ing each strip substantiallymidway between its ends arounda suitable supporting form with its ends extending in the same direction and the flat sides ofthe oppositelegs facing each other, after which the legs are pressed together throughout the majorportions of their lengths mainly at one side ot the axis of the support so as to leave one leg substantially straight and tangential to the periphery of the support and the other leg in closeprox imity to and parallel with the straight leg thereby forming a substantial cylindrical shank and a transversely elongated head at one side of the axis oi: the shank and in a and close to the support, but i plane at right angles to the meeting faces a of the legs after which the head and shank are relatively turned or] twisted a quarter turn to bring the laterally'elongated and ofiset head in a plane parallel and preferably coincident with the meeting faces ot the legs or longitudinal division of the shank. a Any suitable means may be employed for carrying out the various steps of this process and for this purpose, I have shownan apparatus consisting of a 'trame ,-1-- having a horizontal guide -2- along which the wire as -(1., is fed endwise byhand or any other suitable means against a suitable stop 3- on the frame.

The frame isprovided with a relatively fixed hardened shearing edge -iadjacent the guide 2 a distance from the stop S- correspomling to the length of wire required to form the cotter pin for cooperation with a vertically movableknife or cutter-5--carrie'd bya plunger-(3 which is reciprocally movable in a suitable guide -7- in the frame 1.

An upright sleeve S- is journaled in the upper portion otthe frame 1 for rotary movement directly over the guide -2 substantially midway between the stop 3- and cooperative shearing members -4; and --5- and carries at its lower end, a horizontally movable wire supporting form 9- which is preferably cylindrical and around which the intermediate portion of the wire strip a is adapted to be "folded or bent in a manner hereinafter described, said pin being movable endwise in a guide opening 9 at one side of the axis of the sleeve 8 a distance corresponding approximately to the thickness oil? the wire strips ato permit the formation of the head of the cotter pin mainly at one side of the axis of its shank and also to allow the head of the cotter pin to be twisted about the axis of the shank as will be hereinafter more fully described,

The wire a with its flat side at the bottom is fed endwise forwardly along the guide 2 and across the upper face of the form 9 until its forward end engages the stop 3 whereupon the shearing plunger 6-is depressed to cause its knife --5 to cooperate with the shearing member -fl tt'or severing the strip which is to .iorm the cotter pin from the main body of the wire, after which the ends oi? the severed strip are pressed downwardly around the form to form the head and opposite legs of the shank of the cotter pin.

The means for bending the ends of the wirestrip around the term 9- consists of a die -'L()--secured to the lower end of a vertically movable plunger -llwhich is guided in an opening 12 in the sleeve 8 with its axis. passing through the axis of the wire-supporting form-9- and therefore, eccentric to the axis of the sleeve S-, a distance corresponding approximately to the thickness of the wire.

The die 10- is provided in its lower face, with a substantially semi-circular recess 13 having its axis in the vertical plane of the axis of the wire-supporting form -9- and its radius substantially equal to the combined radii of the wire-supporting form and wire so that when the plunger 11 with the die 10 thereon is depressed, the-walls ot the recess 13 will engage and depress the ends of the wire strip around opposite sides of the term -9 thereby forming an eye in the head of the pin.

Immediately following this bending operation of the wire around the form 9,ithe ends of the wire strip are pressed together beneath. and adjacent the pin by a pair of horizontally movable dies 1 l and 1d which are movable in suitable. guides 15 in the frame -l as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The shearing plunger 6 is adapted to be depressed against. the action of a retracting spring l6 by means of a hand lever ---l7 which is pivoted at one end by a pivotal bolt l8 to one side of the upper end of the sleeve S at a point between the plungers -6- and -1land is provided with a bearing -19-- adapted tobe brought into engagement with the upper end of the plunger .6 when turned to a position shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, for severing the stripas -a' which is to form the cotter pin as the free end of the lever is rocked downwardly against the action of the retracting spring 16.

This same lever 17 is also used. for depressing the plunger 11- against the action ot a retracting spring 20 and for this purpose, the edge of the lever opposite the bearing -19 is provided with an additional bearing .2l engaging in a diametrical slot -22 in the upper end of the plunger and adapted to rest against hardened bearing 23 whereby when the lever is rocked across the upper end of the plunger and depressed .to the position shown by dotted lines at the right of Figure 1, the plunger -1l-and its die 10 will be depressed to bend the wire strip (K-around the supporting form 9- or to the position shown by dotted lines in the same figure, it being understood that when pressure upon the lever for operating either .the plunger-s -6- or 11-' is released, the lever and plungers will be returned by their respective springs '-lG- and 20.

When the wire strip rhas been bent around the supportinglorin --9- as just described, and while the plunger -1'lis still held in its depressed position, the dies 1t and -1atare operated to pinch theends of the wire strip against each other.

The means for operating the dies 14-- and -]4r consists in this instance, oi? a pair of bell crank levers -24 and idpivoted at 25 to'the main supporting frame 1-- at opposite sides of the plane of movement of the plunger l1-*, said levers having upwardly projecting. arms provided with turcated ends adapted to engage suitable pins or bearings 26 on their respective dies 1 l'and 1 t,.the other arms of the levers '24: being extended toward each other and connected by links 2G- to a yoke "27 which in turn is pivoted at -2S- to an uprightrod -29.

The lower end of this rod is connected to a pedal lever -30 by which the rod 29 may be depressed for operating the dies 14t and -14=- 'toward each other against the action of retracting springs -31-, Figure 1.

It is desirable to operatexthe dies l' and --14l' in such manner that one of the legs of the cotter pin will be left substantially straight or tangential to the adjacent side of the supporting form -9- and to press the other leg of thepin, mainly beyond the vertical plane otthe. axis of said supporting form so that the two flat faces of the legs are brought together leaving the head of the pin elongated and offset 1aterally at right angles to the plane of the split or meeting faces of the legs of the cotter pin,

and for this purpose the movement of the yond the vertical plane of the axis of the supporting form 9-- to contact with the oppositeleg and thereby to produce the de sired offset of-the head of the cotter pin.

The central portion of the lower end of the bending die 10 is slotted to receive the supporting form 9- when the plunger -11 is depressed and also to permit the walls of the recess --13- to engage the opposite sides as well as the periphery of the head as --D of the cotter pin -li, Figures 6 and 7; a

As previously stated, the wire-supporting pin -9- is mounted upon the lower end of the sleeve -8---, and normally extends at right angles to the direction of lengthof the wire strip a--, but as soon as this strip bent around the supporting form 9 by the depression of the plunger 1.1--, the sleeve --8- with the die -10 and plunger 11- are rotated a quarter turn, while the shank of the cotter pin is firmly held against rotation by engagement therewith of the dies -14t and 14L- whereby the portion of the cotterpin at the junction of the head with the shank will. be twisted and the wider portion of the head b of the cotter pin will be caused to. lie in substantially the same plane as the meeting faces of the opposite legs of the pin, it being understood that the axis of rotation of the sleeve --8- is substantially coincident with the axis of the shank of the folded cotter pin and that the offset portion of the head will be twisted to a plane substantially coincident with the plane of the meeting faces of the legs of the pin.

The means for rotating the sleeve 8 consistsof the lever -17 and its bearing +21 engaging in the slot -22 on the upper end of the plunger -1l together with the pivoting of the shorter end of the lever to the upper end of the sleeve -8- so that while the free end of the lever lT- is depressed and the dies 1 land ll are in their closed position, a lateral movement of the lever through an arc of substantially 90 will cause a corresponding rotation of the sleeve +8- and bending die -10 to effect a similar twist of the head of the cotter pin relatively to its shank.

This latter operation completes the formation of the cotter pin around thesupporting form -9 and immediately following this operation, the wire-supporting form -9 is withdrawn from the cotter pin to allow the latter to drop by its own weight into an underlying receptacle not shown.

For this latter purpose, one end of the form -9 is provided with a radial projection -33- adapted to engage in a notched pawl -33'+ on the adjacent side of the die -l4l when the sleeve 8- with the die --10 and plunger 1lthereon are turned a quarter turn from their normal positions, and while the dies -l4eand 14= are still in their closed positions upon the shank of the cotter pin so that as soon as the pressure upon the pedal is released and the dies are withdrawn by their respective s iirings --3l, the engagement of the notched pawl -33 with the projection 33- on the form 9, will withdraw said forn'i from the head of the cotter pin and thus permit the latter to drop to the floor orany under lying receptacle.

As the plunger 14-- approaches the limit of its outward movement, the pawl 33 is depressed against the action of a retracting spring i3t by engagement with the upper Wall of the guide -15 thereby releasing the wire-supporting form -9 and allowing it to be returned to its normal position by a retracting spring e) Immediately following this retracting operation of the supporting form 9 to its normal position, the downward pressure upon the hand lever 17 is released and returned to its normal up position by its retracting spring 20- whereupon it may be turned laterally a quarter turn to its starting position to cause'a similar return movement of the sleeve 8, plunger -11- and die 10 ready for a repetition of the operations previously described.

In other words, following each forward movement of the wire a against the stop 3, the strip which is to form the cotter pin is first cut to the desired length, then bent around the form 9- by the depression of the die 10 and following which the depressed ends of the strip are pressed together to form the shank of the pin y the closing of the dies -14 and -1t s The head of the pin is then twisted a quarter turn by the rotation of the die -lO- after which the form 9 is with drawn to allow the finished pin to drop from the machine and the operating parts are then returned to their normal positions ready for a repetition of the operation upon another strip.

I claim:

1. A method of forming split cotter pins,

&1 13536328.;

consisting in bendinga stripof wire around a suitable support to. form a head-and opposite legs, then pressing the legs together to form the shank, and then. turning the support about the axis of the shank to twist the head relatively to said shank.

2. A methodot forming split cotterpins. consisting in *bending a strip of wire around a suitable support to form a head-and opposite legs, then pressing the legs together mainly at one side of the axis of the support to form a shank and to offset the head, and then turning the support a quarter turn relatively "to the shank .ior twisting the head at right angles to its bending plane.

A method of forming split cotter pins consisting in bending a strip of wire around a suitable support to form a head and opposite legs,.then pressing the legs together to term a shank. and their relatively twisting the head and shank about the-axis of said shank to bring the widened portion of the head in a plane parallel with the meeting faces of the legs.

4-. An apparatus for n'iaking split cotter pins, having in combination. a wire bending mechanism, means for forming the head of the-cotter pin, anda twisting mechanism "for locating the greater width oi the head of the pin :in aplane :parallel with the plane of the split.

5. In an apparatus for making split cotter pins, means for folding a strip of wire intermediate its'ends to. form a hea'dat: .the fold, means for pressing the ends together to form theshank, and means for brii'iging the ridened portion-0f the head in a plane arallel with the meeting faces of the end.

6. ln an apparatus'for relatively twisting the head and shank eta split cotter pin, a device for gripping. the head, a device tor gripping the shank, and means for mrtially rotating one of said devices relatively to the other device.

7. In an apparatus for making split cotter pins. a supporting fornr'l or the cotter pin blank; means for bending the blank around said form to term the head and legs of the pin. means {or pressing the legs together. and means "for relatively rotating the press ing means and form to effect a-relati ve twist between the head and legs.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Gth day of December. 1923.

lVILLIL-MM M. lllil'l l tl l itnesses:

.H. E: Cnasn,

Rrra: CAMronIE'ro. 

